Fruit peel press



Nov. 28, 1939. M TRUESDALE 2181,674-

FRUIT PEEL PRESS Original Filed Aug. 24, 1936 8 SheetsSheet 1 33, may-W NOV. 28*, 1939. M, D 7 2,181,674

FRUIT PEEL PRESS Original Filed Aug. 24, 1936 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 3542? I WQMwn NOV. 28, 1939. M TRUESDALE 2,181,674

FRUIT PEEL BRESS Original Filed Aug. 24, 1936 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 awe/WM Nov. 28, 1939. M. D. TRUESDALE FRUIT PEEL PRESS 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Aug. 24, 1936 I lum-S 3 Wu Mm IZEZ was 2 750650191! Nov. 28, 1939.

M. D. TRUESDALE FRUIT PEEL PRESS 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Aug. 24, 1936 NOV. 28, 1939. M TRUESDALE 2,181,674

FRUIT PEEL PRES S Original Filed Aug. 24, 1936 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Nov. 2s, 1939.

M D. TRUESDALE FRUIT PEEL PRESS Original Filed Aug. 24, 1936 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 my-W FRUIT PEEL: PRESS Original Filed Aug. 24, 1936 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Hlllll ll lllmin A L I W SW /03 4/4, Z 2 403 6 fizz ward/05m Gubmw c Patented Nov. 28, 1939 UNITED STATE$ PATENT OFFICE Application August 24, 1936, Serial No. 97,700 Renewed September 26, 1939 2 Claims.

My invention relates to a device for expressing essential oils from the skin of fruit. While it is customary to flavor certain beverages, such as tea, cocktails, etc. with the oil expressed from the skin of fruit such as lemons, oranges, etc., heretofore this has been done by pinching or squeezing the peel or skin between the fingers-an inadequate and unsatisfactory procedure.

This device makes it possible to express the greatest amount of natural oils from the skin or peel and impart the flavor or odor of the fruit or vegetable oil to the beverage or solid edible substance with a minimum of effort, and with a minimum amount of contact with the human hand, and to direct the particles of oil as desired,

which is not possible with any other method.

It should be clearly understood that this device is not used for extracting the juice contained within the skin, but is used to express the oils contained in the skin or peel after the peel has been cut off the fruit itself.

Whereas it is now customary in flavoring certain beverages to bruise the skin, thus bringing some of the oil to the surface of the skin and then immersing the bruised skin or peel in the beverage, and whereas in the case of certain solid foods such as cakes or pies, the skin or peel is grated or mashed up to release the contained oils and the grated or mashed pieces are inserted in and become a part of the batter or mix from which the finished product is made, with this device it is possible to transmit the oils which contain the flavor and odor without'the skin or peel originally containing the oil being mixed with or becoming a part of the substance being flavored or scented. This invention therefore overcomes a condition which in many cases may be objectionable.

I have found that one of the best ways to express oil on material to be treated is by pinching or folding the skin in an inverted V whereby the cells in the skin are ruptured and the essential oils fall onto the material to be treated. In actual practice, the length of the peel is ordinarily about half an inch, so that each leg of the V is about a quarter of an inch. These dimensions give excellent results, although of course I do not wish to be limited to the example given.

50 It is an object of this invention to express a large amount of oil from the peel economically and simply,

A further object of the invention is to direct theoil onto the object to be flavored or scented.

55 I Yet another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is simple and cheap to manufacture and easy to repair and replace.

With these and other objects in View which may be incident to my improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements comprising my invention may be varied in construction, proportions and arrangement, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect without limiting the improvements in their useful applications to the particular constructions which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of my device with the sliding member pivoted back.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of my device with the slidable member pivoted down, the peel in position being squeezed. The position of the hand is shown.

Figure 3 is a view showing cutting off of a used peel, the device being shown in side elevation.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of my device with the slidable member in opened position.

Figure 5 is a View taken along the line 5--5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a view taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a View along the line of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of another form of my device.

Figure 9 is a view in side elevation of the form of device shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a view along the line l0li| of Figure 9, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 11 is a View taken along the line l|-H of Figure 10, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 12 is a view taken along the line I2|2 of Figure 8, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 13 is a view taken along the line [3-43 of Figure 8, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 14 is a view taken along the line l4-l4 of Figure 12, looking in the direction of the arrows. I

Figure 15 is a View partly in section, showing the position of the parts and of the fruit peel at the beginning of the expressing operation.

Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 15, showing the position of the parts and of the peel at the finish of the expressing operation.

Figure 17 is a view similar to Figure 16, showing the position of the parts at the end of the operation.

Figure 18 is a top plan view of another form of my device.

Figure 19 is a view in side elevation of the form shown in Figure 18.

Figure 20 is a bottom plan view of this modification. I

Figure 21 is a view taken along the line 2l2l of Figure 19, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 22 is a View partly in section, showing a peel at the finish of theexpressing operation.

Figure 23 is a view similar to the view shown in Figure 22, showing the cutting off of the peel after the expressing operation.

Figure 24 is a view partly in section of a modification of the device illustrated in Figures 18 to 23, inclusive, showing a cut-off knife mounted on the stop.

Figure 25 is' a view taken along the line 25-25 of Figure 24, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 26 is a top plan view of another modified form of the device.

Figure 27 is a view in side elevation of the form shown in Figure 26.

Figure 28 is a view taken along the line 2828 of Figure 27, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 29 is a view taken along the line 2929 of Figure 26, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 30 shows in side elevation the position of the slidable member when the peel has been pinched into the inverted V.

Figure 31 shows in side elevation'the position of the parts at the beginning of the operation of tearing on the used peel.

Figure 32 is a top plan view of another modified form of my device.

Figure 33 is a view taken along lines lid-33 of Figure 32.

Figure 34 is a view taken along lines 34-34 of Figure 33.

Figure 35 is a fragmentary view showing the peel grasped between the support and the shaping member. I

Figure 36 shows in side elevation the position of the slidable member when the peel has been pinched into the inverted V.

Figure 37 shows in side elevation the position of the parts at the beginning of the operation or" tearing off the used peel.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a pistol grip l and a support 2. On the support 2 is mounted a stop member 3 which is slanted at some convenient angle with the upper surface of the support 2. The angle shown in the drawings is approximately 45. Apertures are provided at l in the support 2 through which the expressed essential oil from the fruit peel can be dropped into the cocktail or on 'the'other mate rial to be flavored or scented.

Mounted in the support 2 is a pivot 5 on which is pivoted a trigger which is'provided with a rear support i carrying an upwardly projecting pin 8 over which one end of a helical spring 9 fits.

The upper end of the helical spring 9 fits into an aperture l6 formed on the bottom of the sup-= vside'of the support 2.

- port The helical spring 9 holds the parts normally in the position shown in Figure 5. The trigger 6 is formed with a forward support member H which has a shoulder 92 that fits over a shoulder l3 formed in the support 2. The sup-- port 2 is provided with a downwardly extending protecting flange M which protects the support II and other operating parts from injury. The

support I I fits within a slot l5 formed in the upper surface of the support 2.

On the end of the support I l which is attached to the trigger 6 is a shaping member 16. This shaping member I6, as clearly shown in Figure 1, is adapted to bend the peel ll upward as indicated at E8.

There is provided a cut-away portion 2% at the In this cut-away portion 23 is adapted to lie apivot pin 2!. The pivot pin 2! is surrounded by a helicalspring 22 which is adapted to bear against a sliding block 23 to hold the sliding block 23 in the position shown in Figure 4. On the sliding block 23 and prefer ably integrally formed therewith is a slidable member 24 which is provided on its under surface with gripping elements 25 which form a gripping surface above tracks 25 formed on the support 2.

A knife element is pivoted at 26 on the slidable member 24. This knife element is provided with a broad knife edge 2'! and a top 28. The top it is provided with an operating extension 2% which permits the knife to be pivoted on the pivot 2%.

In operation, the slidable member 2 is pivoted back on the pivot M in the position shown in Figure l and a fruit peel with the outside down is placed in position, as shown in Figure 1, over the shaping member is. The slidable member is now pushed down in the position shown in Figure 2 and pushed forward with the thumb against the pressure of the spring 22. After expressing oil, the trigger 6 is pulled rearwardly, thus lowering the support H and the shaping member I6. The expressed oil falls down through the aperture 4 onto the material to be treated. The parts are then permitted, under the pressure of the spring 22, toresume the position shown, for instance, in Figure 3, where the knife 2? is lowered into a slot 30 to cut 01f the peel.

The process can be continued untilthe length of peel is entirely used up. The inverted V shape of the peel breaks up the cells in the skin of the peel and the essential oils are squirted down with considerable force through the aperture l onto the material to be treated.

In the form of invention shown in Figures 8 to" 17, inclusive, I have shown a similar support 2 and handle I also a similar slidable member 24. However, the stop member is movable upward and downward and carries with it a cut off knife. Moreover, the trigger arrangement is different than in the form just described.

I have shown in Figures 8 to 17 a form of device having a stop member H30 mounted on posts Hii surrounded by compression springs I82 which bear at one end on top of the support 2, and at the other end on the lower part of ears I03 formed on the stop member Mil. The posts WI maybe riveted as indicated at Hi l to the ears H33.

Between the posts it! is mounted a cut-off knife H15.

Each post 10! is provided with a slot H36 through which fit cam arms l9? of a bifurcated member H38 which is attached to a trigger block I09. The trigger block N19 is provided with a trigger Hi). Screwed into the block lfil is a screw I'll which passes through an aperture, H2 formed on the top part of the pistol gripihandle The screw head H3 is adapted-to slidein a larger aperture H4 formed in the top of the pistol grip handle I. The screw III has a' reduced portion H5 which is screwed into the pistol block 100, and a smooth portion Ht, and there is a helical compression spring il I'Lwhich surrounds the screw. The screw and the spring lie within apertures H8 and H0 formed in the support 2. W

Upon pulling with the index finger on the trigger element H0, the spring H1 is compressed to pull back the block I09 and with'it the bifurcated member I08 which carries the cam arms I01. Cam arms 10'! are provided with cam surfaces I20 which bear against the bottom of the slots I06, pulling down the posts |0I against the tension of the springs I02 so that the stop I00 assumes the position shown in Figures and 16. p

A strip of peel l2! can be pushed forward by the slidable member 24 and pinched into the desired inverted V as indicated in Figure 16;

In this formicf the invention, the shaping member isimmovable and is indicated at I22. Apertures I23 areformed on either side of the shaping member and permit the essential oils to be expressed onto the material which. it is de'-' sired to flavor or scent.

After the oil has been expressed, the trigger 1 10 may be released, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 17, and the'trigger againpulled-back to cut off a'piece I30 of the peel. The slidable member 24 is returned by thespring' and anew piece of peel subjected to the expressing operation. 1 I

In the form of invention shown in FigureslS to 23, inclusive, I have shown the pistol grip han-' dle l, the support 2, and the slidable member 24 with the gripping element 25. The slidable element 24 is provided with the knife construction 28 such as is shown in the form illustrated in Figures 1 to '7 inclusive. A permanent shap ing member 200 is shown in the top of the support l and apertures through which the essential oils may fall.

The trigger construction and the stop construction are different from any of the forms heretofore shown. I have illustrated a trigger 202 which is pivoted at 203 on a rod 204. The trigger is provided with a bored upper portion 205 which permits the trigger to rock on the pivot 203 on the rod 204. The rod 204 is journaled in a socket 206 at the top of the pistol grip l.

A stop collar 20! is provided on the rod 204 and a helical spring 208 bears at one end on the stop collar 201 and on the other end against the end of a cylindrical aperture 209 formed at the extremity of the support 2.

The rod 204 has a pivot 2l0 passing through it. The pivot 210 passes through bifurcated arms 2| 1 formed in a lever element 2l2 which is attached to a stop 213 forming a bell crank with the stop 2&3. The center of this bell crank is pivoted at 214 insupports 2H5 formed on the upper surface of the support 2. The arm 2|2 is adapted to rotate within an aperture 2|6 formed in the upper surface of the support 2.

The stop 213 is provided with a shoulder 2|! which is adapted to grip an end 2l8 of a piece of peel, as indicated in Figure 22.

The cylindrical section 205 formed at the top of the trigger 202 has provided a lug 219 which slidable element 24, the peel'may be brought into the V form shown in Figure 22, and the essential oils expressed down through the apertures 20L Upon pulling the trigger 202, the spring 208 is compressed. Lug 2i 9 no longer engages catch 220, and thefparts can be brought into the position shown in Figure 23, which releases the hold on the end 2! of the peel. The knife 2? can then be. lowered to cut off the peel. A new piece of. peel may he slid in position while the trigger 202 is still pulled back, and the operation can be repeated.

In Figures 24 and 25 I have shown a somewhat similar'form to that just described, except that there is no knife provided on the slidable member 24, but the stop 2H3 is provided with a knife blade 300 which is brought down when the spring 203 presses the cylindrical trigger member 205 forward.

The knife 300 is adapted to enter an aperture 301 formed in the upper surface of the support 2. In thisform of device, I have shown the stop H3 as provided with operating arms 302 which are bifurcated at their'ends 30.3. Through the bifurcations extend pivots 304 which pass through arms 305 which'are' formed as arms joined to a connecting .rod 308 which connects with the rod 204.

I have shown another form of my device in Figures 26 to 31 inclusive.v In this form I have shown a support, stop and grip mechanism similar to the type shown in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive. In this form the support 2 is formed with grooves 400 out in its upper surface, thus forming ridges 4th on which the peel l! is adapted to slide. The

sliding member 24 is substantially the same as in the form shown in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive but it is t'o-be noted that the first row of teeth 25 is omitted from the bottom of the sliding member 24. The device is found to work better, under certain conditions, when these teeth 25 do not come too close to the front edge of the sliding member 24.

In this form of device the trigger 6 is provided with a forward support 402 which terminates in a shaping member 403. The shaping member 403 is cut away at the bottom, as indicated at 404. This cut-away portion is of considerable value, in that it prevents wastage of the expressed oils, since there is no surface below 404 for them to collect.

Further, it is to be noted that the device is generally made with just enough clearance to insert the end of the peel beneath the shaping member 403 and the stop 3. The spring 9 holds the peel in position to prevent it from backing away whereby the travel of the sliding member makes a correct fold of the peel. If the peel were not held firmly between the stop and the shaping member, there would be a tendency for the peel to back away, and the device would function improperly.

A further improvement of this form consists in a cut-away portion 405 formed at the front of the slidable member 24. This provides for a fit between the slidable member 24 and the shaping member 403 so that the peel will not be broken. Too tight a fit tends to break the peel.

In this form of device it is to be noted that I have provided a thumb rest 406 which is pivoted at 401 on the slidable member 24. The thumb rest 406 is provided with a hollowed out portion 498 for the receipt of the thumb of the user. A stop 409 is provided at the front of the thumb rest 4%.

In the beginning of the forward pushing operation, the support 409 is in contact with the top surface of the support 24. As the support 24 is pushed further forward, the thumb rest 406 is tilted backward, as indicated in the drawings. The position of the parts when the peel is being squeezed between the support 24 and the stop 3 is illustrated in Figure 30.

In Figure 31 there is illustrated the position of the parts and the peel I! when the used portion of the peel is being discarded.

In Figure 31 the portion of the peel which lay under the support 24 has been pulled out. The support 24 has been pushed against the stop and a used portion of the peel can be ripped off from the main portion of the peel. In this form of device, no cut-ofi knife is used, as it has been found feasible to tear off the used peel, as illustrated in Figure 31.

There is shown in Figures 32 to 37, inclusive, another modification of my device. In this form, the support, stop and grip mechanism is similar to that shown in Figures 26 to 31. However, the trigger arrangement is different from any of the forms heretofore described.

In this construction, the trigger is made of two pieces and works on a different principle of operation from those hereinbefore described.

The trigger 6 is provided at its upper end with a, protrusion 4|!) which fits into a recessed area 4H formed in the forward support member 402. As clearly shown in Fig. 33, the support member 402 has an extension 4I3 which projects into the cut-away portion M4 in member 2. A pin or the like 4 I 5 serves to support the extension 4 I 3 within the cut-away portion.

The forward support element 402 is provided with a shoulder 4H5. As best illustrated in Fig.

33, the shoulder 4l6 abuts against the shoulder 4| 1 on the support 2 and will thereby tend to limit the rearward movement of the member 402 when in inoperative position.

The trigger 6 is pivotally mounted immediately in back of the aperture 4 on a pivot pin M8. The pivot pin 4! is journaled in lugs 4| 9 and 420, respectively. A coil spring 42! is fitted around pin M8 and one end thereof is suitably secured to the trigger 6. The other extremity of the spring is aflixed to the lug 420. It will be readily appreciated that the trigger 6 and the forward support 402 will be normally held in the position shown in Fig. 83 by the action of the coil spring.

The operation of the device is simple. By merely squeezing on the trigger 6, the shaping member 403 is advanced toward the stop 3. It will of course be appreciated that the shaping member will move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the stop 3. This is particularly efficacious 20 fruit skins onto material to be treated comprising supporting the skin above the material on a support with the outside of the skin down, giving the skin an initial upward bend, and extracting the oils by folding the skin on itself in said initial bend, and maintaining a free path for the oils from the support to the material.

2. The method of expressing oil from fruit skin comprising holding one end of a strip of peel against a stop while advancing a predetermined section of peel in the direction of the stop so that the peel is folded in'the form of a V to express the oil and to cause the particles of oil to flow in a predetermined direction.

MELVILLE D. TRUESDALE. 

